Climate change destabilizes water system: ADB

ISLAMABAD: Climate change will affect water resources through its impact on the destabilization of water system in countries across the world, an Asian Development Bank (ADB) analyst has said.

“Regional studies have shown that as climate change continues, we will often see its destabilization effects to the world’s water system, with the most significant impacts on the Asia and Pacific region,” the Bank’s technical advisory for the water sector, Vijay Padmanabhan, said as quoted by Antara in a statement.

Based on ADB data, around 1.1 billion people predicted are living without adequate access to drinking water, almost 70 percent of whom are in the Asia and Pacific region, the Asian age reported.

Asia has also been cited as a region that stands on the front line in facing the effects of climate change, both in terms of its vulnerability and the amount of suffering, particularly in water resources.

The ADB predicts that water needs for industrial purposes will increase by up to 65 percent by 2030 from the current level. It is also predicted that water needs for household purposes and the agriculture sector will increase by 30 percent and 5 percent respectively by that year.

The ADB says providing food, energy, safe drinking water and adequate access to sanitation without compromising environmental carrying capacity will be more challenging, especially due to climate impact on water-related natural disaster risks.

“Finding a solution to the water challenges in Asia means that we will face a tremendously complicated situation. Taking an innovative approach will allow us to achieve something greater with fewer measures,” ADB water specialist Yasmin Siddiqi said.

To that end, Siddiqi said, all parties must recognize water resources as something precious and they had to start changing their conventional approaches in resolving water challenges.